Milk stirring apparatus



Nov.v 10, 1931. J. s. LosEE MILK STIRRING APPARATUS Filed May 1, 1930 i 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 aww/M Nov. 10, 1931. J. s. LosEE I 1,831,499

MILK STIRRING APPARATUS Filed May 1. 1930 2 sheets-sheet 2 l SEI/Mr J0 e 0 ee.

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 .iosmen s. wenn. or Hannon. ral-mois MILK STIRBINGAPPASATUS Application@ may 1. 19310,. Sinai meson,- f Y This invention relates to improvementsin milk stirring apparatus and is particularly useful inconnection with stirring mil'kwhile itis cooling in milk cans. y n

@ne ofA the objects of the invention iis toprovide milk stirring apparatus that maybe readily applied to milk cans and without' danger of injury to the operator. A further object is to vprovide brakemvechanism ins tir- 10 ringa paratus, which will prevent the/opera'-n as to set the mechanism into operation againb when the apparatus is again placed upon the' liquid container.v A stil/l further Objectis to provide propeller or stirring-apparatus which may be readily assembled or f' permit cleaning of the parts. Other objects ,$0 and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention is fully described in the following specification and shown in' the panyin-g drawings in which,

il `Figure 1, is a brokensectional view of' my improved stirring apparat-us applied to a milk can yF ig. 2 is a broken sectional view of the cylindrical coupling which is used to imite the propel-lershaft ywith the actuating l) mechanism as shown between the arrows in Fig. 1; Fig. Sis a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line. 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. L1 is a sectional view,y the 'section being taken as indicated at lined of' Fig.A 1 Fig. 5, 3f* is a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6` is adetailed view in elevation of gear and dog mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

In the illustration given, 1 designatesfal 5 housing, which may be of cylindrical shape and which is providedon its lower side withV 'fingers or brackets 2 adapted to rest upon the top surface or mouth `of a container, such j as, for example, a milk can A. The casing-1 "5 isprov-ided with an intermediate point with a`l isassembled to accom- 0f: Collars 6 and 7 which-'engage' opposite sides of the wall 3; Y 'f i x To the? lower end of shaft 5 is ixeda ratchet,

8 engaged by pawl 9' mounted upon and Inov-V able with a pinion 10. The'y inifonilOni's/loose, on the shaftand is.r supported between collar 7' andratchet 8. Secured to the shaft 5 and supported uponfth'e wall Bis-a large sprin 11 which has its outer end secured to a lug 1 as shown more clearly in Fig.l 4. The spring'- 1sV woundup by turning the' shaft through the medium of the handle or crank 13, the 'ratchet 8 in this operation running vpast the pawl 9,. Vhen pres'sure'on the, crank is released, Athe ratchet L8, paivl 9 andrpinion l0; moves/to-Y gether. l The pifniQn 10 drives .another pinion 14.l which-1s rigid upon shaft 15. The shaftl is Journaled in. the intermediate and bottom;`

walls, Sandl 4., Also fast upon l shaft 15 is a,

spur gear16 ,which drives a pinion Y147". The pinion is'ixed upon the Yend ofma short shaft 18' which is provided'witha round eX'-` tension 19 that is received withi'nthe recess 20y with whi'ohthe lower end of shaft 5 is pro vided. Y f f The short shaft 18, carries a sleeve 21 whichA 1s fixedly secured thereto by means of apin. Integrally formed with the sleeve isa rela,n` tively large flange or ldisc 22'., Thei lower end, oftheshaft 18 i'sjsccured to the propeller` gliaft 2,3;by means'o a cylindrical coup-ling In ,order to prevent. the propeller and actuating mechanism from injuring 4theoperatorx I providefbrake mechanism which serves to( lock the moving parts when the lapparatus is removed Vfrom thel liquid container. `Such mechanism is 1 automaticallyreleased when the apparatusisagainplacedupon the top of a container. In the lug'illustration given, the brake mechanismcoinprifsesa long' `blade or shaft 27 which is pivotally secured upon, theelement 28. A screw 29V extends.V through a perforation in lever 27 and intoA a threaded recess in the lug`28, thus holding thelever" in position. The outer end of the lever 27" vis stepped down at 3.0. The end ofi-the lever comprisesv a horizontal. portion V32-wl`1ich isf adapted .tof rest upon -`the-topv of the'liqiii'd' container. A compression spring 33 is secured between the intermediate wall 3 and the lever 27 and urges the lever in a downward position so as to bring the inner end nular groove 35 and with aslot 36. The low# er end of shaft 18 is provided with a recess 37 adapted to receive a squared tongue 38 with which the propeller shaft 23 is equipped.

Propeller shaft 23 is also provided with an annular groove 39 in alignmenty with the groove 35 and slot 36 of the sleeve 34. A D spring 40 is placed around the annular groove 35 so that its straight leg enters the slot 36.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 3 the straight'v leg Yof the D spring engages the annular groove 39 of the propeller shaft and releasably secures the shaft to the annular sleeve 34 and the shaft 18 to which the sleeve 34 is fixed.

In the operation of the apparatus when the mechanism is removed from the topof the container, the spring 33 exerts a pressure downwardly upon the brake` member 27 causing the inner end of the brake to be forced against the disc or flange 22. The spring is wound up by turning the shaft 5 byY means of crank 1.3, the pawl 9 in this operation slipping ovei the ratchet l2. When the apparatus is set on top of the container, the brake end 32 is raised against the force of the spring 33 and the brake is thusautomatically removed'and the motor turns the propeller shaft.

When itis desired to remove the propeller shaft for the purpose of cleaning, etc., the shaft may be pulled or jerked to cause the straight leg of the D spring to ride .outVV of the groove 39. To attach the propeller shaft again to the coupling 34, the sha-ft may be pushed into the coupling and turned until the tongue 38 enters. the groove 37. The

shaft 23 will then enter the coupling andl the D spring 40 will engage groove 39.

l While the motor,in the illustration given,

Vcomp-rises a spring mechanism, it is obvious that an electric motor or other means may beY substituted therefor. Y

The apparatus is particularly useful in cooling milk to the temperature required before it is sent to the creameries. e

I The milk cools down very rapidly when the milk cans are placed in water and the milk isl stirred with the mechanism described.I It will be observed that by means of the brake mechanism disclosed, the operatorcan handle the motor and propeller :apparatus r'without danger of injury because the moving parts are not set in Voperation until after the propeller is the can andthe actuating mecha# nism rests upon the topof the container.

Also, milk is not thrown out of the can when the apparatus is removed or placed in position as would otherwise be the case, if the actuating mechanism were not restrained by 7.

the brake.

The coupling member permits theA propeller shaft to be readily removed kby a direct downward pull. Also, the cylindrical sleeve 4ofthe coupling member serves to hold thef propeller shaftv in alignment with the drive shaft, and thus causes the propeller to exert a direct propelling force upwardly. Bythis meansthe milk is forced repeatedly to the surface and rapidly cooled by contact with the air.

The foregoing detailed description has` been given for clearness of'understanding.

only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as perlmissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

l. In an apparatus of the characterfset` forth, a casing adapted to engage thetopof a liquid container, stirring means carried by the casing, spring-actuated mechanism for the stirring means, and braking means nor,-V mally restraining said actuating mechanism, `said braking means `being equipped with extension means adapted to disengagej said braking means when the casing is placed upon the top of the container. V Y

V2. In apparatus of the character set forth, a casing adapted to be supported upon the top of a liquid container, stirring meansY carried thereby, 'spring-actuated mechanism for the stirring means, a brake normally re' straining said actuating mechanism, and meansco-operating with said brake to release said container.

the brake when the apparatus is placed upon;

3. `In apparatus of the character set forth,

a casing adapted to be supported upon the top of a container, stirring means carried by the casing, `spring-actuated means for the stirring means, and a springurged brake normally restraining said mechanism, said brake being equipped withV a. lever adaptedl to engage the top of said container and dis`r engage said brake.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth,

' a casing member equipped with a bracket adapted to rest upon the top of a container, stirring means carried by said casing, speed reduction gears, spring-actuated mechanism for driving said stirring means through said reduction gears, and a spring urged brake normally restraining said stirring means,v

said brake beingequipped .with means adapted to engage the top of said container and to disengage `said brake. (ya i f y 5. In apparatus ofthe character set forth, a casing adapted to be supported upon the top of a container, a shaft journalled therein, stirring means supported by said shaft, means for driving said shaft, said shaft being equipped with a flange a brake lever tiltably supported in said casing and having .an extension adapted to engage the top of said container, and a spring normally urging said lever so that its inner end engages the ange of said shaft, said brake lever being adapted to be disengaged from said flange When the extension of said lever is brought into engagement with the top of said container.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth, a casing adapted to be supported adjacent the top of a container, stirring meansv carried by the casing, spring actuated means for the stirring means, a brake normally restraining the actuation of said stirring means, and means associated With said brake adapted to engage the container and to disengage said brake.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of April, 1930.

JOSEPH S. LOSEE. 

